TWEENS16 Borderline
by A Rhea King
Summary: Archer discusses parenthood with a king. Trip teaches Navat and Eartik to jump rope. Archer tries to convince the crew he's the king. A new species could be straight out of Star Wars. The mystery of Animal Crackers revealed. Archer and Travis get treed.
1. The Politics of Fatherhood

Chapter 16 : Borderline  
By A. Rhea King

_The Politics of Fatherhood (1)_

"Sato to Archer."

Archer reached out and tapped the companel without looking up from what he was reading. "Yeah?"

"There is an incoming message for you from King Idnd."

"Put it through." Archer sat the padd in his hand aside. King Idnd appeared on his desk monitor and he smiled. "Greetings, Your Highness."

"Greetings. I have contacted you to make a request. My son has pointed out to me that we will cross paths twice before you leave my kingdom and has asked if he could spend time with his new friends. Can you guarantee his safety?"

Archer's pride in his ship and crew almost made him blurt yes, but his parental side kicked in before his mouth replied.

"No. You have seen our technology, Your Majesty, and as much as I believe in my crew and trust my ship, I will not make you a guarantee I cannot keep. We have, unfortunately, come across some aliens that are far more technologically advanced than ourselves, such as yourselves for example."

"I respect your honesty. Thank you." King Idnd reached out to end the transmission. Archer watched his limb slowly drift back to his armrest as his eyes bent down.

Archer waited, half wondering if King Idnd was expecting him to end the transmission.

"You act as the child Navta's parent, do you not?" King Idnd looked back at the screen.

Archer smiled. "It's turned out that way."

"You do not wish to act as her parent?"

"When it began, I didn't. But now that I've gotten used to the idea, I couldn't have it any other way. She's like a daughter to me."

"What do you do when she asks you questions you want to say no to but she very much wishes you to say yes?"

Archer felt a little embarrassed and momentarily it kept him from speaking. No one, let alone an alien ruler, had ever asked him about parenting.

"It depends on the question, Your Highness."

"Take this matter for example."

"Are you seeking my advice or my opinion, Your Highness?"

"Advice."

Archer shook his head a little. "I can't give you my advice. Not on this. He is your son and only you can decide what's best for him."

"Mm." King Idnd's right eye bent back for a moment and then returned to looking at the screen. "Then I seek your opinion, Captain Archer."

Archer leaned forward on his desk. "I'm approaching this whole thing like my father raised me, Your Highness. I remember that one of the things he did was let me make mistakes and not make all my decisions for me. If… If I were in your position right now, and it was Navta asking to spend time on an alien ship that could not guarantee her safety, I would be extremely tempted to tell her no. But I think I would say yes, instead. For one, because this may be the last time she'll get to spend time with her friends and I wouldn't want to take that away from her. But I think the most convincing thought would be how beneficial it would be for her. She would be forced to deal with cultural difference personally and she would have to deal with any conflicts that might arise because of it without my guidance. She would get to learn about another race and it would enrich her life. That's my opinion. But I can't tell you to decide one way or the other, Your Highness."

The two were silent again. Archer smiled suddenly.

"May I speak frankly, Your Highness?"

"You may."

"As mad as I'd be for Navta doing what Oodahau did, I would be more proud of her. I was actually impressed with Oodahau taking the initiative to contact us and he was very diplomatic through most of the conversations with Hoshi. As much as I'd expect a child his age to be."

King Idnd straightened his upper torso. Archer thought he'd offended the alien and responded by tensing.

"I am proud of him."

Archer relaxed, offering a smile.

King Idnd's head bobbed. "I am angry with him lying to me and not telling me he was contacting aliens, but I am more over proud of him. He is my sixth son, but of all my sons, he has shown more promise of being ruler one day than they have. This incident has proven it even more. I was proud of his initiative myself. I was equally proud of how well he dealt with the matter once it was revealed. I had half expected him to go running to his hive when I confronted him about it. He has most times, but he did not this time. He remained and dealt with me, committed to his friends. I doubt my son will ever know how proud that very act made me. And he was very diplomatic about the entire thing, even swaying my decision to destroy you. I love my son, Captain Archer, but since this has been discovered, he has made me nothing but proud of him. Thank you for granting me the moment to express this to you."

"You're welcome, Your Highness."

"So, in two days we will meet and he will spend a week with you before we meet again."

Archer was surprised but said nothing in response to it. Instead he replied, "That will be wonderful. I'll let the children and Hoshi know."

"He will get to spend time with Hoshi, yes?"

"If you wish."

"I want him to learn of your culture as well as the Jit. From the little I spoke with her, she appears to be a very kind human."

"Hoshi is. So in two days, Your Highness?"

"Yes."

"Would you like to send any nutritional requirements or sleeping arrangements we need to make?"

"Oh no. Oodahau asked that I let him take care of that. I will let him handle these matters himself."

"As you wish, Your Highness."

"In two days. Good leave." King Idnd left the monitor.

"Ooo-kay. This is one to write home about." Archer reached out and tapped his companel. "Hoshi."

"Yes?"

"Call Navta and Eartik to my ready room. Come in when they get here."

"Aye, sir."

Archer sat back and picked up the padd to continue reading while he waited.


	2. Jumping Rope

_Jumping Rope (2)_

Trip's mind was working as hard as his body as he was on a problem that had tied up engineering for a week while he jumped rope. Two vents weren't responding to computers and had to be opened manually, consequently creating a dual problem. Usually this helped work out problems, but so far he was still at square one on this problem. Trip stopped, gathering the rope in one hand and putting his hands on his hips.

"What are doing?"

Trip looked back. Navta was sitting on a basketball behind him.

"I was," Trip paused, smiling. "I was working on a problem and jumping rope."

Navta bit down on her bottom lip, her eyes following the jump rope.

"Have you ever jumped rope?" Trip asked her.

Navta shook her head. "No. But I've seen lots of crewmen doing it. Why?"

"Good exercise."

"You said you were working on a problem thought. How does jumping a rope do that? Is that why other crewmen do it too?"

Trip smiled. "I don't think all of them do it to work out problems, but sometimes doing something else helps me figure out a problem. I'm just a strange duffer."

"What's a duffer?"

"Me."

"You're Trip."

Trip chuckled. "Uhm. Yeah. Well, I'm that too."

"How do you keep from falling? How do you keep the rope from tripping you?"

"I'll be right back. Don't leave." Trip turned and went into the equipment closet to get another jump rope. He returned and handed one to Navta. She took it, looking it over. She looked up at Trip with a questioning look.

"Get up," Trip told her. "Stand over there so you can see me." Trip pointed to a spot in front of him.

Navta got up and walked over to the spot, turning to face him.

"Back up some."

Navta took two steps back.

"Okay. See how I'm holding the rope?" Trip swung his rope back behind him.

Navta nodded.

"Do the same, Navta."

Navta swung her rope back.

"Now watch."

Trip jumped the rope once. "Try it."

Navta tried it, but jumped to late and caught the rope between her legs.

"I'll try again," Navta informed him with a nod.

Trip smiled, watching her try it over and over until she did it.

"I DID IT!"

"I'll do it too!" Eartik yelled, running up to them with a jump rope.

Trip glanced back, catching sight of Hoshi and another ensign peeking out of the equipment closet. Trip turned back to the children with a grin. He waited while Navta instructed Eartik on how to jump a rope. Once they had it he joined them, returning again to his thoughts.

"Trip?"

Trip looked at Navta. "Yeah?"

"What was the problem?"

"In engineering two vents aren't responding. When we need to vent I have to send two men up to manually open them."

"I bet it's because the circuit relay was smoking," Eartik said.

Trip stopped jumping and looked at Eartik. "What?"

"I smelled smoke three days ago and so I went to find it and I came across this circuit relay that was smoking."

"Eartik!"

Eartik stopped jumping, looking up at Trip. Trip leaned over, meeting Eartik's eyes.

"Am I in trouble?" Eartik asked.

"A lot."

Eartik looked down.

"You were in a Jeffery tube if you saw a smoking circuit board which you weren't supposed to be in, in the first place. And then you smelled smoke and instead of telling me or your parents or an adult, you went to check it out alone." Trip looked at Navta. "I'm assuming alone."

"I wasn't there!" Navta cried.

"She wasn't there," Eartik said.

"And then you saw a smoking circuit relay and you never told anyone. You've been helping out in engineering long enough to know that's a bad thing."

"I forgot."

"How can you forget a smoking circuit relay?"

"I was on my way to tell you!" Eartik looked up at him. "And then my dad told me I had to go home and do homework. And when I tried to tell him, he told me to go anyway."

"Did you tell him about the circuit relay?"

"No."

"Ever?"

"No."

Trip stood up. "Eartik, next time, tell me. And for the gazillionth time, stay out of the Jeffery tubes, kid!"

"Yes, sir."

"Now…jump rope or somethin'." Trip started jumping rope.

"You don't hate me?" Eartik asked.

Trip stopped and looked down at him. "I'd never hate you, Eartik. Be mad at you, get upset with you, but I'd never, ever hate you."

Eartik smiled and went back to jumping rope.


	3. The King

_The King (3)_

Archer closed his eyes when his ready room doorbell rang. He laid his head on his desk with his eyes closed tight.

"Go away!" Archer moaned.

The computer mistook the command and the door opened. Archer rolled his head to the side, staring at Trip. Trip smiled.

"You look…"

"Like I have a migraine from hell?" Archer asked.

Trip looked sympathetic. "The Doc could give you something for it, ya know."

"That would require me getting down there, wouldn't it? Which would mean people would have to stop stopping by for this and that, which would then require this and that to stop happing, but that will only happen if—"

"I get it."

Archer sat back with a heavy sigh. "I was venting. You interrupted me."

Trip smiled. "You were whining. I interrupted you."

"I don't whine," Archer intentionally whined.

"You're whining again."

"What you want? Why you bothering me? Make it snappy."

"You wanted the analysis done today." Trip laid the padd on the edge of Archer's desk. "Analysis as you requested, your highness."

Archer looked from Trip to the padd and back. "T'Pol would be in command if I just shot myself to put me out of my misery, but would you take care of Porthos for me?"

Trip chuckled. "Sure. I'll send Doctor Phlox or Likos in this direction. Hold off on the suicide for now."

"Would it still be suicide if I cut off my head so it'd stop hurting?"

Trip leaned toward him. "Some people get cranky with migraines. How come you've always gotten loopy with them?"

"Habit?"

"Not buying."

Archer looked away and then back at him. "It's a genetic thing. My mom did the same thing."

"Uh-huh," Trip turned, adding, as he walked away, "No chopping of heads."

"But I'm the king!"

Trip glanced back at him. "No chopping of heads, your royal-ass."

"INSUBORDINATE PEASANT! TO THE RACK WITH YOU!" Archer yelled as the door closed.

Trip smiled, ignoring the bridge crew looking at him.


	4. Ewookies

_Ewookies (4)_

The away team pushed through the dense underbrush led by T'Pol and her tricorder.

"The ruins are another twenty mete—" T'Pol broke off, coming to a standstill as she tilted her head to catch the sound.

Behind her Archer, Malcolm, Trip and Ensign Cutler also stopped to listen. They heard the sound again however it didn't sound like it was coming closer or moving away.

"What was that?" Ensign Cutler asked.

"Good question." Archer slowly drew his phase pistol.

Behind him Trip and Malcolm also drew their phase pistols.

"Keep moving, T'Pol," Archer said.

The five continued, keeping silent as they walked. The creature cried out again, bringing the group to a halt once more. For several minutes they stood and listened to the cries.

"Damn if that doesn't sound like a…" Trip trailed off.

"A what?" Archer asked.

Trip didn't answer.

Archer glanced back at Trip. He looked away from Archer's gaze but it didn't hide his embarrassed smile.

"A what?" Archer pressed.

Trip coughed, saying something behind the cough.

"A what?" Archer stopped, turning so he could face Trip.

Trip looked down, frowning. He coughed and spoke again. Archer grinned, waiting for an answer he could understand. Trip sighed, looking up at Archer.

"A wookiee! It sounds like a wookiee, okay?"

"A wookie?"

"Yeah. The big walking beast thing on Star Wars that runs around with Han Solo."

Malcolm stifled a laugh. Cutler's giggle was quiet.

Archer waited for the animal cry again. Malcolm and Cutler both stopped laughing.

"It does sound like a wookiee," Malcolm said, "in soprano."

"Leave it to you, Trip." Archer turned back to T'Pol. "Let's go see what these things are." Archer glanced at Trip, "because I doubt wookies exist."

T'Pol waited for another cry, pinpointed it with the tricorder and began walking. The five came out into a clearing and stood side by side. Dashing through the grass were small furry creatures closely resembling teddy bears. And as they ran back and forth in their intense game of chase, they cried out with a sound identical to the Star Wars wookiee Chewbacca, only several octaves higher.

"They look like—" Trip stopped mid-sentence and fell silent.

Archer leaned toward Trip. "Say it."

"No."

"Say it."

"No."

"Say it."

"Uh-uh."

"You were gonna to say it, weren't'cha?" Archer asked him.

"Say what?" Cutler asked Trip.

"They look like…" Archer trailed off to let Trip finish it.

"I wasn't saying nothin'."

"They look like…"

Trip rolled his eyes. "Fine! Ewoks. They look like Ewoks."

Archer, Malcolm, and Cutler did laugh. Trip smiled, shaking his head.

"Maybe we should take one back," Malcolm suggested, looking at Trip. "You seem to be good at collecting animals, sir."

"I am not!"

"You saved a chicken," Cutler said.

"Maybe—" Trip started.

Archer grew instantly serious. "No."

"It's not a chicken, sir," Malcolm jabbed.

Trip frowned. He opened his mouth to reply.

"No. We aren't taking one back," Archer said.

"I wasn't even gonna ask!" Trip rebutted.

"What were you going to ask?"

"I wasn't going to ask anything." Trip began laughing. "I was going to suggest that you call these things Ewookiees when you file the report," Trip laughed at his own stupid joke.

He stopped laughing when he noticed the other three weren't laughing. Archer, then Malcolm, then Cutler, began laughing.

"Ruins, T'Pol." Archer turned his back on Trip. He couldn't stand this conversation any more.

T'Pol changed the screen on the tricorder and lead them toward the ruins.

"Ewookies," Archer muttered to himself with a smile

Behind him the creatures cried out as if laughing at their poorly chosen name.


	5. Practicing Parenthood

_Practicing Parenthood (5)_

Archer didn't look up when Trip knelt beside him to pack another crate.

"You should say something to her," Trip said.

Archer didn't reply.

"She didn't mean to—"

"Trip, enough," Archer said.

Trip looked back at the shuttle. Navta was sitting on a crate where Archer ordered her to sit and wait and was crying silently while she stared at her feet.

"She wasn't trying to get Zyg hurt, Cap'n."

Archer closed the lid of the crate and walked over to another one to pack it. Trip glanced back at Navta and then at Archer.

"This needs to go in there," Ensign Cutler said, approaching Archer.

Archer reached up to for the equipment she handed him and packed it in the crate.

"Is this the last one?" Archer asked.

"Yes, sir."

Archer turned and walked over to Navta.

"On the shuttle," Archer ordered. "Go sit down on the bench."

Navta got up and walked onto the shuttle. Archer followed her in and waited for her to sit down. Navta sniffed back tears.

"I'm sorry," Navta whispered.

Archer slowly sat down next to her, looking up at the ceiling. Archer looked down at Navta, talking in a quiet voice, "Navta, I asked you not to play with those animals, Navta. I asked three times and you ignored me. Then one almost attacked you and Zyg ended up getting hurt trying to protect you. What if there hadn't been two shuttles? We would have had to leave people here in order to get him back and this place is dangerous. I know this is hard for you, Navta, but if you don't start listening, I'm not taking you on any more away missions."

Navta started crying, looking down at her feet. "You hate me?"

"No. I don't hate you."

"Are you sure? Cuz when you yelled out there—"

"Navta, look at me." When she didn't look at him, Archer gently ordered, "Navta, please look at my face."

Navta looked up at him.

"I will never hate you. Ever. I might get mad and yell like I did, I might ground you, but I will never, ever hate you. Do you understand me?"

Navta nodded. "Can I help load the shuttle?"

Archer reached out and laid his hand on her cheek. "You made me really, really angry so I want you to stay in here and wait. I'd rather not yell like that again today, okay?"

Navta nodded again.

Archer got up and left the shuttle. He slowed to a stop outside and turned. Trip, Hoshi, Malcolm and Ensign Cutler were standing against the shuttle, pretending to be busy to cover that they had been eavesdropping on his conversation.

"Load the shuttle, people," Archer ordered, resisting smiling.

They quickly obeyed. In an hour they were leaving the planet's atmosphere and on a two-day trip back to _Enterprise_.

#

Archer began shutting down systems, listening to the loading bay doors close under him. The shuttle came to a gentle rest on the doors when the docking arm let go. Archer turned the chair, staring at the crew. Trip was asleep in the navigation chair and Malcolm was asleep in the chair across from him. Hoshi and Navta were asleep on the benches and Ensign Cutler was curled up in a blanket on the floor. Archer stood up and reached out, shaking Trip's shoulder.

"Wake up," Archer said.

Trip opened his eyes, looking out the window at the shuttle bay. "We home?"

"Yep," Archer shook Malcolm's shoulder. "And it's late. Wake up Malcolm."

Malcolm stretched with a yawn. "Oh. Can't wait to crawl into bed. What time is it?"

"Oh two hundred and twenty-eight hours." Archer walked over to Hoshi and gently shook her shoulder.

"I'm gonna sleep right here," Hoshi muttered.

Archer laughed. "Go to bed, Hoshi."

"We home?" Ensign Cutler sat up, looking around.

"Yeah." Archer stepped over her to the other bench. He reached down and picked Navta up in his arms.

"Are we leaving?" Navta muttered.

"No. Go back to sleep," Archer whispered to her.

Navta laid her head on his shoulder, drifting back to sleep. Archer turned and smiled. The four were watching him.

"What are you going to do the day she stops calling you K'pan and starts calling you daddy?" Trip asked.

"Good-night people." Archer walked to the hatch door and pressed the button. He walked out of the shuttle bay and made his way to his quarters.

Archer walked in, greeted by Porthos.

"Lights, thirty percent," Archer said, "Hey Porthos. You been a good boy? Huh?"

The lights came up and Archer walked over to the couch. He laid Navta down and pulled the blanket off the back of the couch, spreading it over her. Archer walked to his bed, changed out of his uniform into a pair of shorts and climbed in bed, falling asleep immediately. He woke once, an hour later, not surprised to find Navta curled up next to him with Porthos snuggled between them. Archer placed a tender kiss on her forehead before falling back to sleep.


	6. Aesop’s Fables

_Aesop's Fables (6)_

"You're doing it wrong," Elizabeth said. She paused and then added, "Sir."

Malcolm didn't acknowledge her. Instead he continued to fight with the diaper and squirming child under his hands.

"Sir—"

"Ensign," Malcolm let out an exasperated breath, looking up, "Surely you have something better to do other than instruct me on how to change my son, don't you?"

"You're doing it wrong," Trip said before taking another bite of his meal, "Just let Elizabeth or Hoshi do it, Malcolm. They've been changing the kid all day for you."

Malcolm looked back at him. Ensign Cutler, Trip, Hoshi, and Archer were sitting around the campfire watching him. Malcolm opened his mouth to shot back a haughty response at Trip.

"Oh, sir!" Hoshi gasped, covering her mouth and pointing at the child.

Malcolm's face turned into a dark frown when he felt something warm and wet start running down his leg. He looked down at Jon Nathan. The child squealed gleefully while he urinated.

"No," Archer told Hoshi before she started laughing out loud.

Trip opened his mouth to comment.

"No," Archer said, looking at Trip.

Trip glanced at Archer and then closed his mouth around another bite of food.

Archer noticed he was the only one that seemed to sense Malcolm's mounting frustration with the three and as it had been a good day up until now, he decided to try and keep it that way.

Malcolm returned to fighting with the diaper and Jon Nathan.

"STUPID DIAPER!" Malcolm yelled suddenly, startling everyone.

There was a moment of silence and then Jon Nathan started screaming. Malcolm let his head fall back.

Elizabeth started to comment. Archer touched her arm and she looked at him. Archer shook his head at her and she remained silent. Malcolm returned to trying to put the diaper on. He finally got it to resemble the one he'd removed and picked the child up to calm him. The diaper slid off of Jon Nathan. Malcolm stared at it for a few seconds and then laid Jon Nathan back on the blanket.

"Okay. I admit," Malcolm said, "I can't do this. I need help. Would one of you help me, please?"

Elizabeth looked at Archer. He nodded once to her. Elizabeth got up and walked over to Malcolm, kneeling beside him. In a quiet voice Elizabeth instructed Malcolm how to put his son's diaper on. Malcolm finished and picked the child up, cuddling him to his shoulder.

"Shh," Malcolm murmured to the child, gently rubbing the boy's back.

Jon Nathan let out a renewed wail instead of calming down. Malcolm got to his feet and began pacing and talking quietly to the child.

"Well, I'm calling it a night," Archer said as he stood.

Trip watched him disappear into the tent they were sharing. He looked at Malcolm and the screaming baby and decided sleep was a much better alternative. Trip finished his meal and climbed into the tent. Elizabeth and Hoshi went to their tent without saying goodnight. Malcolm looked up, surprised to find himself alone. He walked over to a chair and sat down. Malcolm held Jon Nathan on his lap, reclining the baby boy into the crook of his left arm and wiggling the fingers of his right hand in front of the child. Jon Nathan stopped crying and began playing with his father's fingers.

"You cleared the room," Malcolm teased Jon Nathan in a quiet voice. "That's not a good quality to have, son. Well, not unless you plan on being an actor in horror films. Then it could have some fringe benefits. You could make the scene look smashingly real."

Jon Nathan smiled at hearing his father's voice back to normal and let out a spiel of laughter. Malcolm returned the smile, finding Jon Nathan's ticklish spot under his chin. Jon Nathan waved his hands as he laughed.

"Now there's the smile I'm used to. As my grandfather loved to say, 'Jolly good, my boy. You've staved off the end of the world again!'" Malcolm chuckled, planting a gentle kiss on Jon Nathan's temple.

Jon Nathan giggled again, returning to playing with Malcolm's fingers.

"Malcolm," Archer said from his tent.

"Yes, sir?" Malcolm asked. Malcolm tickled Jon Nathan's neck and the child giggled again, making Malcolm chuckle.

"Next time you decide you're going to bring a child on an away mission, know how to change it."

"Him," Hoshi corrected Archer. "Jon's not an 'it', sir, he's a 'him'."

Elizabeth and Hoshi both giggled.

"Or not bring one at all!" Trip suggested."

"TRIP!" the Archer and the women scolded, making Malcolm smile.

The four were silent for a few moments.

"Night, Malcolm," Hoshi said.

"Night, sirs," Elizabeth laughed.

"Night ladies," Archer said.

"Good night, all," Malcolm added.

There was a pause before Hoshi, Elizabeth and Trip called out in unison, "GOOD NIGHT JOHN BOY!"

Malcolm smiled, leaning over his son so he could look the child in the eyes. Jon Nathan reached out, grabbing Malcolm's nose. Malcolm smiled, telling the child, "Americans are a bit daft, son. Be wary."

"I heard that, Lieutenant Reed," Archer laughed.

Malcolm chuckled. He resituated Jon Nathan against his arm and picked up the baby bottle sitting next to the chair. Malcolm offered it to Jon Nathan who grabbed it and started drinking. Malcolm kissed his son's forehead.

"I love you, son," Malcolm murmured, smiling at him again. "What story shall I tell you tonight, eh?" Malcolm thought. "I know, we'll do a few of Aesop's fables." Malcolm sat back and began telling of 'The Crow and The Pitcher.'

#

Inside his tent, Archer shut his eyes, listening to Malcolm pass on Aesop's fables to his son. It brought on memories of his own childhood and his father. The memories had been playing off and on from the moment Malcolm had asked him if he could bring Jon Nathan. Each time he turned around and found Malcolm tending to the child, a new memory would crop up and make him smile. Archer would never tell anyone, but he hadn't expected Malcolm to be as good of a father as he was turning into. Fatherhood had opened the man up and he had become more integrated into the crew than he ever had been.

Archer smiled when he heard Jon Nathan giggle. Archer let out a soft sigh.

"Cap'n," Trip whispered in the darkness.

"Hm?" Archer murmured.

"Did you ever think that he'd turn out to be this kind of a dad?"

"Malcolm?"

"Yeah."

"I had my doubts."

"He's nothing like his dad."

"Different person, Trip."

There was a moment of silence.

"Or maybe just a different family," Trip whispered.

"What do you mean?"

"He's with a different family now. Things are different on Enterprise, nothing like what he was used to."

Archer smiled. "So what you're not saying is he's had a chance to see what a good family can be like with us, huh?"

"Something like that."

"Or maybe he just has a good wife, Trip. Get some sleep. We have to get up early."

There was silence again.

"Cap'n?" Trip whispered again.

"Hm?"

"Think T'Pol'd be a good mother?"

Archer's eyes popped open. "What?"

"I mean, if she had kids one day, do you think she'd be a good mother?"

"I don't know."

Trip didn't reply.

"Maybe you should ask her what she thinks about that."

"Naw. I don't want her to get the wrong idea."

"Which would be?"

"That I'm asking her to marry me or something."

"You're not going to ask her to marry you any time soon, are you?"

"Hadn't really given it much thought until now."

'_Great. Ya just put the idea in his head. Brilliant Jon. Just brilliant_!' Archer thought to himself, but said, "Get some sleep, Trip."

"Night, sir."

"Night, Trip."

Archer turned his mind and attention to Malcolm's quiet voice. He didn't want to think about the stupid mistake he'd just made.


	7. Ponderous

_Ponderous (7)_

Hoshi glanced up when the door of the observation room opened. She watched Eartik walk in with a book tucked under his arm and sit down on the bench across from her. Hoshi smiled, turning back to her own book. She reached into the bag sitting on her stomach, popped an Animal Cracker in her mouth and then turned the page. Hoshi slowly became aware of a presence nearby and looked up, and then down. Eartik was kneeling on the floor beside her, staring at her.

"Hi," Hoshi said.

He smiled. "Hi."

"What's up?" she asked him.

"What are you eating?"

"Animal Crackers. Want one?"

"Yes, please."

Hoshi handed him one. Eartik took it and looked at the imprint of a giraffe on the cookie. He took a bite and chewed it for a few seconds. He looked back up at Hoshi.

"What's wrong?" Hoshi asked.

"This doesn't taste like a cracker."

Hoshi smiled. "Well, no. It doesn't taste like a cracker."

"Then how come you called it an Animal Cracker?"

"That's what they're called."

"But it tastes sweet. Like a cookie. Shouldn't it be called an animal cookie?"

"I suppose that makes sense, but that's not what they're called."

"Why not?"

"I don't know."

Eartik looked at the cookie. "It doesn't taste like an animal either. It tastes like a cookie."

"They probably called them Animal Crackers partly because they have the shapes of animals."

Eartik looked up at Hoshi. "Animals from where?"

"From Earth."

Eartik looked at the cookie in his hand. He leaned up on his knees and reached in the bag without asking. He pulled out another cookie, looking at it. He held it up for Hoshi to see.

"What's this?"

"That's a rhinoceros."

"What's that?"

"It's an animal that lives in Africa."

"Is Africa a city?"

"No. It's a continent."

"Is it big?"

"Fairly big." Hoshi sat her book down and slid off the bench to sit down beside Eartik. She reached in the bag and dug out another shape. She held it up for Eartik to see. "This is a tiger. But in real life it's orange and black. Some live in Africa, but some also live in a country called India."

"Do all the animals in there live in Africa?"

"No. Not all."

"What ones don't?"

Hoshi dropped the cookie in the bag and dug around. She looked up when the door opened again and watched T'Pol walk in. T'Pol glanced at the two but continued to the back. She turned to face a planet they were orbiting and began writing on the PADD in her hand. Hoshi turned back to the bag of cookies. She pulled out a polar bear and handed it to Eartik.

"This is a polar bear. They live where it's cold. Mostly around Canada."

"Is that a continent too?"

"It's a country that is the northern most part of a continent."

"My dad said that the northern part of Aphripa was too cold for anything to live."

"It's pretty much the same on Earth, but people go visit it."

"What other ones don't live in Africa?"

Hoshi fished out a kangaroo. "This one lives on a continent called Australia. It's called a kangaroo."

"It looks funny."

"The Animal Crackers don't make them look exactly like they do in real life."

"Do they really have short arms like this?"

"Yes. They really do. They hop around on these really strong hind legs and can go really fast. When they fight, they box like people do and kick with their hind feet too. Sometimes they bite and claw."

"What else is in there?" Eartik leaned forward to see inside the bag

Hoshi reached in and pulled out a lion.

"This is a lion. It lives in Africa too. And so do…" Hoshi dug out a zebra and leopard, placing them in Eartik's hand. "This one is a zebra and this one is a leopard. Zebras are black and white and leopards are orange and yellow with black spots." Hoshi pulled out an elephant. "Elephants live in Africa, in India and in another country called Egypt. They're usually gray and," She pointed to the trunk on the elephant. "This is their nose. It's called a trunk. They use their trunks to pick things up and drink with."

"They drink through their noses?"

"Not really. They suck the water up and then put the trunk in their mouth and shoot it in to drink."

"They can pick things up with their noses too?"

"They're very long noses. They hang almost to the ground."

"Are their tails really that short?"

"Yes. Really."

"What else is in there?" Eartik leaned over so he could see in the bag.

"This is a camel. They live in Egypt and Africa. They can go a long time without food or water, because— Do you see this hump here?"

Eartik nodded.

"This hump carries fat and water. They use it when they have to go a long time without food or water. They're called the ships of the desert. And some camels have two humps instead of one."

"Does that mean they can go longer without food or water?"

"I don't think so, but I don't know."

"What's next?"

"This is a bear. Bears live all over Earth in all sorts of shapes and sizes."

"Is the polar bear a bear?"

"Yes. Just a different kind of bear."

"What's this kind?"

"Well…I bet it's a brown bear."

"Where do brown bears live?"

"They live in the countries United States and Canada mostly."

"Are they like my teddy bear?"

"No. They aren't nice like your teddy bear. You wouldn't want to try to pet this bear."

"What else?"

Hoshi dug around for a few seconds. "Looks like this is the last one." Hoshi placed the last Animal Cracker in Eartik's hand. "This is called a bison. They don't exist anymore, but they have always been in Animal Crackers."

"Why don't they exist anymore?"

"A long, long time ago on Earth, people hunted them for fun. They were very irresponsible about it and they almost killed them off. Then people tried to bring them back, but we had terrible wars on Earth and eventually they became extinct."

"Extinct means they don't exist anymore, right?"

"Yeah."

Eartik put the cookies back in the bag. "How come they call them Animal Crackers? They taste like cookies."

Hoshi laughed. "Eartik, I don't know why they call them Animal Crackers other than they are in the shape of animals. I'm sorry."

"That's okay. Can I ask you a question?"

"What?"

"Tomorrow when you get off work, could we go to the classroom and you show me pictures of animals from Earth? The ones that we looked at today? I would like to know what they look like for real."

"It's a date. I'll come find you when I get off, we can eat some supper and then go look at animals."

"Okay. Well, I'd better get home and go to bed."

"Okay."

Eartik got up and picked up his book. "Good night Hoshi. Good night T'Pol."

Eartik turned and ran out of the room. Hoshi got up and picked up her book. She turned to wish T'Pol goodnight and found the Vulcan watching her.

"Is something wrong?" Hoshi asked.

"You're culture does have interesting facts about it."

"I'm sorry?"

"I find it interesting that you have crackers in the shape of animals."

Hoshi popped one in her mouth. "You'd find it more interesting if you ate one."

T'Pol thought a moment and then held out her hand for one. Hoshi, surprised by the gesture, stared.

"You want to try one?" Hoshi asked.

"Yes. If you do not mind."

Hoshi placed a cracker in T'Pol's hand. T'Pol put it in her mouth and for a few minutes she contemplated the taste of the cookie. She swallowed it before speaking.

"Eartik is correct that it does not taste like a cracker. And you do not know the reason behind this?"

"I'm sorry, T'Pol. I don't. It's one of man's many mysteries. Perhaps you should research it for Eartik. I'm sure he'd enjoy it if you found the answer for him."

"I may do that if I have available time."

"Good-night T'Pol." Hoshi turned and left.

#

Hoshi jumped when someone sat down next to her in haste. She stared at Trip, who was still holding T'Pol by the arm.

"You started a madness, you know that Hoshi?"

"Excuse me?" Hoshi asked with a growing smile.

"This woman," Trip pointed at T'Pol. "Has been asking every person on board why Animal Crackers are called Animal Crackers and if that wasn't bad enough, so is Eartik. So now you need to go with her and find the answer to this driving question of her and Eartik's so they'll stop asking everyone why Animal Crackers are called Animal Crackers."

Hoshi started to reply.

"I know why," a voice said behind Trip.

Trip, T'Pol and Hoshi both looked at the table behind Trip. Malcolm was reading a PADD while he sipped a mug of tea.

"You know why Animal Crackers are called Animal Crackers?" Trip asked.

"Perhaps," Malcolm came back, a sly grin creeping onto his lips.

"You know?" Hoshi asked. "How could you know?"

"Because it's a British trivial answer."

"British?" Trip got up, led T'Pol over to Malcolm's table and sat down.

T'Pol pulled her arm free and sat down in the chair across from Malcolm.

"Spill it," Hoshi said, sitting down on Malcolm's right.

"It started back in the nineteen hundreds." Malcolm looked up at her. "You've heard of Barnum Bailey's Circus?"

"Of course."

Malcolm looked at Trip. He smiled, nodding.

"Well, they came to Europe. At the time the Europeans already had an item called animal biscuits. Quaint, actually, they came in these little bags. A company called National Biscuit Company, later to be known as Nabisco, marketed the idea as Barnum's Animal Crackers, putting them on American shelves in nineteen-oh-two."

"And how does that explain the cracker part? Other than a company named them that." Hoshi asked.

"It's all in the translation." Malcolm sipped his tea. "You, Hoshi, of anyone, should know when a word is translated to other languages the meaning may be another word."

"Yes. But this one I don't get."

"To get to the word cracker, one must start with the animal biscuits that were already being produced in Europe, you see. Biscuit, in British, can mean cookie or cracker. Crackers, however, are not solely dried bread, or rather tasteless wafers. They are also sweetened baked bits of flour and water, often times without a leavening or rising agent, which is served with tea." Malcolm held up his mug to stress the tea. "And you know we British have a love of tea, don't you?"

Hoshi laughed. "You've had this information this whole time and you didn't tell anyone?"

Malcolm's grin became ornery. "I wanted to see how long it would take before someone asked me."

Hoshi playfully slapped Malcolm's arm. "I hate you!"

Malcolm laughed.

"Do ya get it now? Will stop asking everyone alive about this stupid Animal Cracker thing?" Trip asked T'Pol.

"Yes."

"She was about to drive me batty!" Trip told Hoshi.

"Batty is another interesting interpretation, that—"

"Oh look at that time," Trip said getting up.

"I have to get back to work. Thanks for the answer Malcolm," Hoshi said, following Trip toward the door.

Malcolm chuckled, turning back to the PADD in his hand.

"Did you know the answer when I asked you two days ago, Lieutenant Reed?" T'Pol asked Malcolm

Malcolm looked at her. "No. I wrote to a friend back home. He found the answer for me and I received it last night."

"Then why did you lie to Commander Tucker and Ensign Sato?"

Malcolm smiled at T'Pol. "One day you may actually comprehend the concept of teasing, T'Pol. But until then," Malcolm raised his mug to her. "Enjoy the tea and Animal Crackers." Malcolm looked back at his PADD and continued reading.


	8. Hold Fast

_Hold Fast (8)_

Malcolm, Trip, Likos and Ensign Novakovich raced down the beach toward the towering black cliffs ahead.

"HURRY UP!" Archer yelled across their communicators.

The four reached the cliff face and waded out into the water toward the cave entrance that was half submerged. The four dove under the rising tide and swam into the cave beyond. They surfaced on a sharply sloping cave floor. The ceiling of the cave was riddled with holes made by centuries of erosion and diffused sunlight lit up the cave. A twelve-foot cliff rose at the back of the cave and the cave continued back for another two kilometers before ending. Near the cliff face, Archer was holding Navta up in a sitting position. Her left leg was pinned between a large boulder and half buried rock. Navta was half submerged in ocean water that was creeping higher with each incoming wave. The four ran to the boulder and tried to push it off, but it turned out to be heavier than it looked.

"Ideas. Fast!" Trip ordered.

"I'm scared," Navta whimpered.

"Shhh. Shhh," Archer whispered, kissing her forehead. "It'll be okay. We'll get you out of here before the tide comes in."

Navta closed her eyes, pulling him to her.

"We need some levers," Malcolm said.

"We don't have anything here."

"We could go back to the forest and get a couple good sized branches."

Trip looked down at Archer. "Sir?"

"Go!"

"You three go. I'll figure out the best places to set them," Trip ordered.

Malcolm, Likos and Novakovich ran back to the opening. Trip crouched down, scooping out the best place to set the log levers.

"K'pan," Navta whispered. "It's getting higher K'pan. It's coming up fast!"

"Shhh," Archer whispered, holding her head to his chest. "It's going to be okay. Shhh."

By the time the three returned the water was up to Navta's chest.

"This is going to be hard. This water's going to—" Likos started.

Trip roughly grabbed his arm, whispering, "Shut. Up."

Likos said nothing more.

The four quickly set to work at moving the boulder.

"It's coming in faster, K'pan," Navta whimpered.

"I know. If it gets over your head, I'll give you air. You know how to do that?" Archer brushed back wet hair from her face.

Navta shook her head.

"I'll get a breath of air and then put my mouth to yours and blow it in. You have to let out the breath your holding before I do though, okay?"

Navta nodded.

"Good girl." Archer smiled, gently patting her cheek.

Archer looked at the four men, his stomach growing tighter with every rising wave coming in. Navta pulled on his uniform when the water came up to her chin, looking up at him with scared eyes.

"It's going to be okay. We'll get you out, Navta."

Navta drew a shaky gasp, starting to cry.

"No, sweetheart, don't cry," Archer told her. "You have to stay calm. Stay calm, half-pint."

Navta closed her eyes, putting her head back when another wave threatened to cover her mouth. Archer pulled close to her, but the water was starting to make it difficult to stay anchored beside her. Archer looked at the four, watching the four men working fervently to get the boulder off. Archer moved toward them to help. Navta's grip tightened on his uniform. He looked back and immediately knelt back beside her when he saw her face was under water.

"Hurry," Archer told them, "God hurry!"

Archer drew in a deep breath and leaned toward Navta. She let go of her breath and inhaled the breath he gave her. Archer surfaced, waited for half a minute and then gave her another breath. As the water rose it became harder for him to hold onto her and took longer to get the breath to her.

Archer leaned down to give her a breath but Navta didn't take it. Archer shook her arm and she didn't respond. He surfaced.

"GET IT OFF!" Archer screamed at his men. "SHE'S DROWNED!"

Archer moved toward them and helped Trip and Likos. With the five of them the boulder moved. Trip grabbed Navta before an outgoing wave pulled her body with it.

"We have to get out of here," Archer said, grabbing Navta's arm.

"We can't, sir. We have to go up." Trip pointed up the cliff.

"Trip—"

"Cap'n, with the current in this water, none of us can get back through that opening. We'll all end up drowning if we try. Our only chance is to get to the top of this cliff and wait for the tide to go back out."

Archer looked down the slope at the entrance that had disappeared under water. He turned to tell Trip to go and found him already climbing the cliff face with the other three men following close behind. Archer started climbing behind them. Trip had already started up the cliff face with Navta slung over his shoulder. Archer and the three crewmen followed him. Trip pulled himself over the top and laid Navta down on the rock and began CPR. Archer knelt down on her other side to assist. For seconds of eternity Navta didn't breathe or respond. All at once she started coughing and gasping for air. Archer rolled her on her side and she cried out.

"Her leg's broken," Trip said before Archer spoke.

Archer looked down at her leg. Her pants leg was soaked with blood and the white of her bone had torn through the fabric. Archer gently lifted her into his arms and walked further back in the cave, away from the rising water. He found a patch of sand and laid her down on it.

"Don't leave me K'pan," Navta whimpered, clinging to him.

"Shhh. It's okay. Shhh." Archer stroked her hair. "I'm not going anywhere." Archer sat down, cradling her in his arms.

"What happened?" Trip asked.

"We were collecting shells and she waded out to pick up a conch shell and her foot slipped between the rock and boulder. I was trying to help her pull it free when the boulder shifted and trapped her leg between the two. The weight must have broken it."

"Well, broken legs mend, Navta," Malcolm said, "mine did."

Archer looked at him. He, Novakovich and Likos were standing behind Trip, the three wringing their clothes out as best they could with them still on.

"You've broken your leg?" Trip asked.

"Yes. It was the last time I trusted anyone to pack my parachute too."

Trip laughed. "Hard lesson to learn, huh?"

"Painful was more like it."

"Thank you, men," Archer said.

Novakovich looked at Archer and smiled. "Yeah, well, we'd be lost without Navta to keep us up to date. Not to mention it's the only way we get to see Porthos."

They all laughed.

"There's some wood back there." Malcolm motioned to the back of the cave. "I'll get a fire going. T'Pol told us when we left that if we get trapped in here it will be six hours before the tide goes out."

"I have to do something about this leg," Likos said, crouching down beside Navta. "Okay?"

Navta nodded.

Archer let out his breath, meeting Navta's eyes when she looked up at him. He smiled, tapping her nose. She smiled back. Navta laid her head against his chest.

Treed (9)

Archer and Travis didn't break a beat as the raced across the meadow. Behind them four animals that resembled wolves and were the size of bears were slowly gaining on them.

"I CAN'T KEEP RUNNING LIKE THIS!" Travis yelled.

Archer agreed with that statement. He spotted a gnarled but tall tree and turned toward it. Archer leapt, grabbed the trunk and started climbing the tree. Behind him Travis quickly followed. Travis glanced down, yanking his foot away from one of the beasts when it jumped. He kept climbing. The two stopped when they were well out of jumping reach of the animals.

"What if they can climb trees, sir?" Travis asked, looking at Archer.

"Pray they can't," Archer panted. "What in the HELL did you do back there, Travis?"

"Nothing! You told me to get that plant and when I went over to get it there was one of those things, except smaller, a baby I'd assume. I was talking nice and then one of them showed up," Travis motioned to the barking and snarling beasts below them. "And next thing I know, you and I are running for our lives!"

"Didn't your dad ever tell you never to feed wild animals?"

"I wasn't feeding it, sir!"

"You were being nice to it. Same difference."

"But it didn't look vicious."

"Do I not look vicious?" Archer sneered at Travis.

Travis smiled and Archer smiled too.

"Well, this certainly is a problem." Archer looked down at the beasts below them.

"Yeah. How are we going to get back? Neither one of us has a phaser."

"Do you have your communicator? I dropped mine."

Travis searched his pockets and finally produced a communicator. He handed it to Archer and Archer flipped it open.

"Archer to anyone."

"Hey, Cap'n," Trip said in a little too cheerful voice.

"Trip…what's wrong?"

"Nothing! We're taking bets over here."

"On?"

"How long you two are going to be treed like coons."

"We could use a little assistance!"

"That would make the bets invalid, sir."

"TRIP!"

Trip laughed. "We're working on it. Ya know, we would'a felt bad if they'd gotten you, but since they didn't it was really amusing, sir."

"I'm warning you, Trip!"

"Yeah. Yeah. We're figuring something out here. We'll get to ya shortly."

"How shortly?"

"Before dark for sure."

"CHARLES TUCKER THE THIRD!"

"Gotta go!"

"Trip." There was no answer. "TRIP!"

Travis chuckled. Archer looked at him.

"You know, you're trapped up here too," Archer reminded him.

"You have to admit, it was pretty funny. And we had to look like idiots running from these things. Or like one of those cartoon characters!" Travis imitated a cartoon run with his hands.

Now that Archer thought about it, the whole thing was funny. He leaned back against a branch, laughing with Travis.


	9. Treed

_Treed (9)_

Archer and Travis didn't break a beat as the raced across the meadow. Behind them four animals that resembled wolves and were the size of bears were slowly gaining on them.

"I CAN'T KEEP RUNNING LIKE THIS!" Travis yelled.

Archer agreed with that statement. He spotted a gnarled but tall tree and turned toward it. Archer leapt, grabbed the trunk and started climbing the tree. Behind him Travis quickly followed. Travis glanced down, yanking his foot away from one of the beasts when it jumped. He kept climbing. The two stopped when they were well out of jumping reach of the animals.

"What if they can climb trees, sir?" Travis asked, looking at Archer.

"Pray they can't," Archer panted. "What in the HELL did you do back there, Travis?"

"Nothing! You told me to get that plant and when I went over to get it there was one of those things, except smaller, a baby I'd assume. I was talking nice and then one of them showed up," Travis motioned to the barking and snarling beasts below them. "And next thing I know, you and I are running for our lives!"

"Didn't your dad ever tell you never to feed wild animals?"

"I wasn't feeding it, sir!"

"You were being nice to it. Same difference."

"But it didn't look vicious."

"Do I not look vicious?" Archer sneered at Travis.

Travis smiled and Archer smiled too.

"Well, this certainly is a problem." Archer looked down at the beasts below them.

"Yeah. How are we going to get back? Neither one of us has a phaser."

"Do you have your communicator? I dropped mine."

Travis searched his pockets and finally produced a communicator. He handed it to Archer and Archer flipped it open.

"Archer to anyone."

"Hey, Cap'n," Trip said in a little too cheerful voice.

"Trip…what's wrong?"

"Nothing! We're taking bets over here."

"On?"

"How long you two are going to be treed like coons."

"We could use a little assistance!"

"That would make the bets invalid, sir."

"TRIP!"

Trip laughed. "We're working on it. Ya know, we would'a felt bad if they'd gotten you, but since they didn't it was really amusing, sir."

"I'm warning you, Trip!"

"Yeah. Yeah. We're figuring something out here. We'll get to ya shortly."

"How shortly?"

"Before dark for sure."

"CHARLES TUCKER THE THIRD!"

"Gotta go!"

"Trip." There was no answer. "TRIP!"

Travis chuckled. Archer looked at him.

"You know, you're trapped up here too," Archer reminded him.

"You have to admit, it was pretty funny. And we had to look like idiots running from these things. Or like one of those cartoon characters!" Travis imitated a cartoon run with his hands.

Now that Archer thought about it, the whole thing was funny. He leaned back against a branch, laughing with Travis.


End file.
